newjerseynewsroom.com

Unemployment website now open on Sundays

New Jerseyans collecting unemployment may now receive their benefits one day earlier in the week, if they use the newly expanded website services of the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

There are 407,000 people jobless in New Jersey and those who are receiving unemployment insurance benefits are required to file certifications every two weeks, may now file via the department website on Sundays, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., instead of waiting until Monday or Tuesday, the Labor Department announced Monday. The expanded website certification will begin Sunday.

"Our goal is to assist New Jersey workers as quickly and efficiently as we can," Labor Commissioner Harold J. Wirths said. “Internet filing is fast and easy, and our expanded hours will make filing more convenient for our claimants.”

Through the certification process, people collecting unemployment insurance must routinely confirm they are unemployed and meet the program's eligibility requirements. They must also report any earnings they may have received.

The Sunday website service means a certification will be processed sooner, therefore the electronic transfer of benefits to a claimant’s direct deposit or debit card accounts may also occur earlier. The process takes about 48 hours.

When claimants use the Internet to file certifications, the department is able to free more agents to respond to cases requiring special attention. Statistically, when claimants use the website to certify unemployment insurance benefits, only four percent of those claims require agent intervention. When claimants use the telephone to certify unemployment insurance benefits, 10 to 11 percent of those claims require agent intervention. Telephone certifications also are not available on Saturday or Sunday.

The hours of availability for claiming benefits on the Internet after Sunday are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As more people use the Labor Department website to process certifications, the agency is able to process benefits more quickly, pay claimants sooner and free up lines for those who must use the telephone, and reduce their waiting time.

The website certification system provides claimants with a printable screen at the end of the certification process that offers certification confirmation, payment information, claim balances, Federal Income Tax (FIT) withholding information, and special messages.

People still have the option to certify for benefits over the telephone; however, those filing certifications via the newly expanded website circumvent the “odd/even” restriction placed on claimants certifying by telephone. The restriction requires callers to certify benefits on certain days of the week based on the last digit of their Social Security number.

The telephone certification option is available only from Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Claimants may visit the website at: www.njuifile.net and click on File a Continued Claim to certify for their benefits.

Here is how to file:

File via Internet

Go to: www.njuifile.net

Days and Hours available:

Sunday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday through Friday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday: Not Available

File via Telephone

Social Security Numbers ending in 0-2-4-6-8

Days and Hours available:

Monday: no even numbers on Monday

Tuesday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Social Security Numbers ending in 1-3-5-7-9

Days and Hours available:

Monday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday: No odd numbers on Tuesday

Wednesday: 7a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

- TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM